Blues Top The League: Brighton Talking Points

The scoreline makes it seem the game was closer than it actually was. Certainly a sigh of relief was audible when Sergio Aguero slotted home the second in the 65th minute. The result, along with Liverpools failure to beat Chelsea, means Pep Guardiola's side return to the summit after only seven games.

The two will meet in the League next weekend, and the chance for one to put daylight between the other. Focusing on our previous match though, what lessons do we take away from that result and overall performance.

City Dominate Brighton: Players Rated

Manchester City will go into next weekends six pointer ahead of their opposition after this past victory against Brighton. The three points gained at the Etihad now put them level on all stats with Liverpool who have a poorer goal difference.

It was a comprehensive win for the Blues, as you might expect. However it did take a piece of solo running from Sergio Aguero to make the result safe in the 65th minute. So, how did I rate the players?

Blues Against Brighton: History Of The Fixture

After, what was eventually, a comprehensive defeat of Oxford United City return to Premier League action. Welcoming Chris Hughtons Brighton side who are enjoying their second successive season in the Premier League.

Currently 13th in the Premier League, Hughton will be looking at securing the Seagulls stature and making them established in England's top flight. In order to do this games like tomorrow will not be ones pinpointed as ones where that future is made or broken.

That's not to say they will not put out a decent lineup and make it tough for us. They did last season, and they will again.

Carabao Check-up: Player Ratings

It was a tale of two Phils for Manchester last night. Our very own Phil Foden put in a man of the match performance away to Oxford in the Carabao Cup. Meanwhile, at the Stadium of Dreams, Phil Jones put the icing on a poor United performance. 

A gift that keeps on giving with players in Red, who were slated as not giving 100% for the shirt, were shown up by Frank Lampards Championship side, Derby County. Meanwhile, 160 miles south, Manchester City's youth and fringe players were securing the win in a very comprehensive victory.

Lessons From The Carabao

A heavily rotated Manchester City side did the job away to League One side Oxford United last night although, at times, it was hard work. In the end it was comfortable for the Blues, and gave Pep Guardiola some more insight into some of his fringe players.

Starts were given to youngsters Muric, Foden and Diaz while some more experienced heads were welcomed back into the first team. It was good, for example, to see Vincent Kompany back in the side. So what would we have learnt from yesterdays progression to the next round?

City v Oxford: History Of The Fixture

Manchester City travel south tomorrow for the start of their Carabao Cup defense. Oxford, the side they face are currently plying their trade in the third tier of English football, two decades after City pulled themselves from those very depths.

The two sides haven't met on too many occasions, thirteen in fact. It's a surprise because both sides were founded in the late 1800's. Oxford started life as Headington United in 1893, while City were founded more than a decade earlier, became Manchester City in 1894.

Carabao Defense Starts Now

The defending Carabao Cup Champions, Manchester City, travel the 165 miles south on Tuesday. Taking on League One side Oxford, the Blues will be looking to make it two away wins from two. Of course the reality is that Pep Guardiola will heavily rotate his side from the side that defeated Cardiff on Saturday.

Raking the competitions in order of importance, this one would be the last one on the list, and first one to be sacrificed if need be. That said, winning a trophy in March does tend to give any side a boost for the final stretch. So, how will Pep line up his side?

Manchester City: Player Ratings

It was just more than a victory on Saturday the Blues required. After the lacklustre performance midweek against Lyon in the Champions League, the side needed to show dominance. And that's exactly what they did on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Cardiff. 

A total masterclass in football left me wondering in Neil Warnock was, in some ways, enjoying the football on display. Certainly this was never going to be a game he and his staff would circle as one which could make or break their season. 

So how did the players do in the 5-0 victory? Here are my player ratings for the side who moved to second in the Premier League this weekend:

Blues Back To Winning Ways In Cardiff

I don't think any Manchester City fan ever imagined it would be anything other than a Blues win. I had said, after the Champions League result midweek, that a reaction was needed. How we played in the following game would show us a lot of the character of the team.

In the end it was comfortable, and wrapped up by half time. Pep Guardiola's side now moves to second, ahead of Chelsea, who couldn't break down a Zabaleta led Hammers defence. So what of that performance from Manchester City yesterday? What positives and negatives arose from the 90 minutes in Wales?

Manchester City Predicted Welsh Lineup

The good thing about playing football is that you don't have to wait too long for another game. When you have a poor performance, like Manchester City did on Wednesday, you don't have to wait to long to rectify the situation.

I was pretty harsh on the players after the defeat by Lyon at the Etihad, and rightly so. Now it's a whole different competition and a chance to keep pace with the front runners, Liverpool and a chance to leap frog Chelsea. So how should Pep lineup for the trip to the Cardiff City Stadium?

Pep Hopes For Welsh Reset

It wasn't the greatest of European nights for the Blues. A 2-1 defeat at home to Lyon was not what was expected, although with the performance on the night, it was all we deserved. Saturday sees the Blues back to domestic competition, and the continuation of the defense of their title.

Pep Guardiola will be back on the sidelines with Sergio Aguero likely being recalled to the starting lineup. Unfortunately Kevin De Bruyne, Benjamin Mendy and Claudio Bravo remain side lined for this game.

City Champions League: Player Ratings

I spoke in a previous article about the game last night. Manchester City's defeat at home against Lyon was not the start we would have hoped for or expected, yet the night felt strange from the start. The result, in isolation, is not that devastating. How the side reacts in the coming games will let us know if this game is something we needed to be concerned about.

Heading to Cardiff on Saturday, Pep will be looking for a much better performance from the defending Champions. That said, it would be very hard for a performance to be worse from the Blues. Not many of the players who started the European fixture came out with positives, and my player ratings reflect that.

Champions League: City Tamed By Lyon

It wasn't the result many expected from Manchester City in their opening fixture in this seasons Champions League. Defeat at the Etihad has been very rare for the Blues over the last few seasons, yet from the first whistle it never felt quite right in the stadium.

It was not so much the defeat, although not great, but the manner in which the Blues started their European campaign which would be most disappointing for City fans. Pep Guardiola was, of course, a spectator for the opening fixture. A ban carried over from last season for his particular seat for this game.

A few supporters have come down very hard on their side, but is that justified? Certainly Lyon deserved to get points from the game with City very lethargic for large portions of the game. Even the referee, who booked Aguero for arguing a decision, then agreeing with him by reversing the decision, cannot shoulder much blame. It was just one of those nights and it will tell us much of the side with how they respond in Wales at the weekend.

Talking Points From Fulham Win

Pep Guardiola’s side moved up to third, and remained undefeated after hosting Fulham at the Etihad on Saturday. One of only three sides in the Premier League to remain undefeated, with Liverpool and Chelsea the other two, with five wins from five. Previously I had posted the player ratings, with Bernardo Silva being my man of the match. Now though I want to talk about some of the interesting points from the game.

It certainly was a positive performance and a good result to get before we head into Champions League football against Lyon on Wednesday, but what did that performance tell us about Pep Guardiola and his side?

City V Fulham: Player Ratings

So long International break and hello real, meaningful football. The Premier League continued this weekend, with Manchester City hosting newly promoted Fulham. In the preview I had spoken about the potential for a return to the starting lineup for both Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling. And so it proved to be, with it not taking long for each to make a mark. I will talk more about the interesting take aways I got from the game in a later article, for now though I only wish to focus on the player ratings from the game.

Predicted Lineup To Face Fulham

The Premier League restarts on Saturday with Manchester City looking to close the gap on the three teams above. Heading into the International break in fourth position, the undefeated statistic was sidelined for the struggling performances.

A draw away to Wolves, at least on the home sides performance, might not be such a bad result in the long run. More concerns for me actually came against Newcastle when, at home, we took the lead but failed to close the game out. Yes we got the result, but it was so much more difficult than it had to be and, unlike Wolves, I don't think it was much to do with a tough opposition!

Cityzens Host Cottagers As EPL Restarts

The Premier League restarts this weekend, and not a moment too soon. I am not really into the International scene, World Cups are fine, but I really don't look forward to games taking place at the expense of the good old EPL!

Manchester City welcome Fulham to the Etihad for the 3pm (BST) kick off, and a chance for City to kick on in the defence of their title. Fulham, recently returning to the Premier League after their relegation in 2014. So far it hasn't been too bad, defeated away to Spurs as you might expect, but picking up a decent win against Burnley.

Manchester City v Lyon: Foe Remembered

International breaks, especially this early in the season, are never a welcomed thing for fans. The Premier League is only four games old, clubs are just starting to get their legs, and it all stops. Fortunately the Premier League will restart again this weekend as Manchester City welcome newly promoted Fulham on Saturday.

For now though, and not something I really enjoy doing, I wish to look beyond that and to the first Champions League game against Lyon. The beginning of the top European club competition is always an exciting time, with the owners making no secret of their desire to lift the trophy. This first game though allows both sides, and both sets of fans a unique opportunity.

Manchester City Champions League Group

Manchester City fans will surely be quite pleased with the Champions League draw which recently took place in Monaco. With Manchester City in Pot One, they were already certain to miss the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG.

While certainly there is no suggestion that this is an easy group for the Blues, I would argue it could have been tougher. From Pot B we found ourselves going head to head with Shakhtar Donetsk, our foes from our last group stage. Avoiding the likes of Roma, and a reunion with Edin Dzeko and Aleks Kolarov, along with Borussia Dortmund.

Manchester City Tame Tough Toon

After four games of our record breaking season last season, Manchester City had ten points scored ten goals and conceded two. It was said, as Kompany raised the Premier League trophy, that it was something Manchester City would struggle to repeat.

Four games in this season though and we have those same ten points. Undefeated as we were last season, Manchester City have scored eleven and conceded three. That means, heading into the International break, 2018/19 Manchester City would be above 2017/18 Manchester City, if only on goals scored.

Yet it seems, with a draw against Wolves last weekend and struggling against Newcastle this, there is starting to be some unrest among City fans. Criticism I think is unfair and certainly, from a fan who witnessed the third tier of English football, a little weird to hear.

I think it is part of a new set of fans, brought up not knowing life in the bottom half of the League, never mind another division! It is something I think we are going to have to accept but for me, even yesterday’s game, as frustrating as it was at times, had many positives.

City v Newcastle: Player Ratings

Manchester City returned to winning ways in the late game on Saturday, although Newcastle made it tough for the Blues. Initially, after a bright start and a Raheem strike, it looked as if it would be an easy day for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Just before half time though, Newcastle pulled level with what was their only shot of the whole first 45. Manchester City came out in the second half determined to get the three points, which they eventually did. Now they can go into the International break in the top four. But how did the players do?